Beyond the Shadows
by Shadow Owner
Summary: Shikamaru fails to turn up for a mission she was sure he'd never abandon... She hoped her suspicions were wrong. Birthday tribute to Shikamaru. Complete!
1. The Start of a Troublesome Day

**A/N:**  
Happy Birthday, Shikamaru! This was timed to coincide with Shikamaru's birthday, though due to the nature of some special occurrences in the story (which I've constantly been dwelling on since before I wrote 'Shadows of the Night'), it's been set around May to June, instead of on September 22. To all ShikaTema shippers, I hope you like it!

This story can stand alone, though if you'd like to know what took place before this, you might want to read 'Shadows of the Night' and 'Wind Shadows' (sequel to SotN).

**Special Thanks...****  
**To _**Kishimoto Masashi-san **_(岸本斉史さん) for sharing Naruto with us, and for bringing Shikamaru (and Temari) into the Naruto world.

**Disclaimer:**  
Naruto was created by the recipient mentioned above. For a more formal disclaimer, refer to my profile page.

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**BEYOND THE SHADOWS  
****  
Chapter 1: The Start of a Troublesome Day**

He'd been anticipating and dreading the arrival of today for a long time.

Two females had been pestering him from the depths of his heart and from the shallows of his mind lately. Dwelling on this made him sigh audibly, as he let the familiar path from the Hokage's office lead him back home.

They'd timed it so perfectly; Shikamaru was sure that they'd conspired to stress him out. Females! He'd never known a less troublesome species.

Subconsciously, he slowed into a tardy gait as his gaze graced the cotton puffs of white drifting past overhead. Absorbed in the view and lost in his thoughts, he barely registered the forms of Kiba, Akamaru and the Haimaru Triplets, who'd just turned the corner.

Jostled back to reality by Akamaru's friendly yips and the 'Arfs' of the triplets, he lowered his gaze to meet Kiba's. Seeing Kiba at ease on Akamaru's back, with the obedient trio padding deftly alongside, made him marvel at the Inuzukas' ability with animals, and he was fondly reminded of the fierce loyalty they had to their village and comrades.

'Shikamaru! I look princely, don't I?'

'Yeah…'

'These triplets are the best! Ane-chan lets me walk them sometimes, though she only lets me train with them on rare occasions, like the past few days…'

He smirked with a dubious wolfish gleam in his eyes.

.

'What've you been keeping her busy with, eh, Shikamaru?'

Shikamaru's eyebrows jerked upwards quizzically, subtly drawing attention from the faintest hint of Sakura pink that bloomed on his cheeks.

'All she's said was that something was up, and I followed her scent to the Nara compound…'

'Che, troublesome! If you say so, Kiba. I'll be off!'

Shikamaru's expression hadn't gone unnoticed by Kiba, even if he hadn't dropped any verbal hints.

_Something fishy was going on. He could smell it. _

He'd press the truth from his sister when she returned home that night.

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Shikamaru wondered if Kiba's appearance had been deliberate; that wasn't the normal route to the training grounds. Though more thoughts clouded his mind and slowed his thinking down by a fair bit, he felt the brisk motion of his feet carrying him home at record pace.

Today was one troublesome day, and it'd only _just _begun.

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Shikamaru entered the Nara estates, pushing the gate open as he quickened his steps towards his house, pausing briefly to let himself in.

'I'm home, _Mum_!'

To spare himself the trouble of incurring a reprimand which had the potential to last _l-o-n-g-e-r_ than lectures at the academy (and the other which would follow shortly after she caught him stifling a yawn) from his mum, he'd learnt to add that troublesome term into his greetings. _Thinking_ of it was already making him tired.

'Hana-chan's here already, Shikamaru. It's not nice to keep a lady waiting, you know?', drifted a voice from the kitchen.

Shikamaru merely sighed, resigned to his mum's idea of a greeting.

'Hana-senpai! Thanks for coming! Sorry for the trouble I've caused you lately.'

Yoshino couldn't help but smile to herself at her son's sweetness to Hana.

'Shikamaru-kun, you're most welcome! It's no trouble at all, and I'm honoured that you trust me so much.'

Shikamaru blushed again; hearing the honorific had reminded him of his conversation with Kiba earlier, though since bringing it up would be too troublesome and embarrassing, he thought better of it.

Hana smiled fondly at him as Shikamaru involuntarily scratched his head; this was immediately followed with another sigh.

He was glad he'd been absolved from normal duties lately. His mother called them duties, though a more appropriate name would be 'chores'. His dad must've fallen in love with this more rational side of her, he gathered, though noticing this only made him more certain that his dad was whipped.

'Give me a moment, senpai.'

Shikamaru entered the kitchen, picking up a bowl of Fuji apple, which his mum had diced into tiny cubes, before striding across the Nara compound towards the Nara Medicine Facility directly opposite their living quarters. He then entered the Herb Room and gravitated expertly towards one of the many drawers of well-preserved herbs. He repeated the process a few times in different corners of the room, until, obtaining what he'd come for, he'd moved towards the table in the centre of the room.

He pounded the diced apple rhythmically, then mashed up an assortment of dried berries and peas, and mixed them up like mixing batter, using the moisture of the apple to hold the paste-like mixture together. The silent room amplified his thoughts of the two females, and he found himself hurrying out of the room with the mixture packed in a container.

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He hoped _she_'d understand when he didn't turn up at the gates of Konoha.

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-End of Chapter 1-

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**A/N:  
**Strange behavior, huh? I'm sure some of you already suspect what's happening, or going to happen. I hope you liked the places I thought up in the Nara Compound; it was fun visualising and imagining the settings and scenes! As far as I know, correct me if I'm wrong, no such Medicine Facility has been shown or implied in either the manga or Anime, so I'd claim it (the idea, rooms and medicine, etc) as mine.


	2. A WARM Welcome

**Chapter 2: A WARM Welcome**

Temari wasn't thrilled to see Ino waving maniacally at her.

Neither was she keen to know that _he_ had brought _her_ along.

What maddened her most was the fact that Shikamaru hadn't bothered turning up.

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_So he thought he could slack off, huh? _

Yes, she'd fume like a spoilt child. Better to remain angry than to entertain those other thoughts she didn't like… Right now, she had to behave like a gracious lady.

With a deep breath, she took a huge step past the gates of Konoha.

Ino was now bouncing animatedly on the balls of her feet, squealing hysterically at somebody she fervently hoped wasn't her.

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That little hope was dashed too when she heard a resounding 'Temari-saaaaan!' bounce off the cornerstones of Konoha.

_He'd better have a good reason for not turning up._

_._

She forced her jaw muscles into a smile, and returned Ino's enthusiastic greetings with a weak grimace. It wasn't much, but it was the most inoffensive method of being polite she could tackle at present.

If Ino was miffed, she must be a master of disguise. Her unresponsiveness did nothing to dampen the blonde's cheerfulness, and when she broke into a brisk trot, the blonde matched her stride.

'You haven't asked why I'm here…'

'… or where Shikamaru is.'

.

'Where's he? On a mission?'

_He'd better be._

The underlying tones of harshness in her statement made Ino think twice about sharing the truth with Temari.

_Now, this was more like the Ino she knew._

'Well… um… Tsunade-sama'll let you know more.'

Temari caught on Ino's hesitance, and thoughts she refused to acknowledge crept up in her mind.

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The Hokage hadn't said much.

All she'd offered was that Shikamaru had requested time off from his shinobi duties for personal reasons.

'Is he ill, Hokage-sama?'

'No.'

'Injured?'

'Thankfully, not. Shikamaru's fine.'

'Busy with the Academy?'

'Nope.'

_So he really is slacking._

'He sends his regards and sincere apologies for his absence.'

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Ino had apparently promised Shikamaru to show her around, but Temari couldn't quite tolerate having an extra voice outside her head to bother her, so she politely declined Ino's offer and made her way to the inn she always stayed at.

_Is he really alright?_

She pulled the Shoji _(Japanese sliding door) _open and was greeted by beautiful flowers on the petite table. She didn't know their names, but they smelt fragrant and fresh. The scent uncannily reminded her of the grass she and Shikamaru had watched the sunrise from, on that knoll.

_What was so important that couldn't wait?_

She settled herself on the tatami flooring, lost in her thoughts. She knew Shikamaru well enough to know that he'd never neglect his role as a shinobi, no matter how troublesome it was. If that was the case, the problem had to lie somewhere else…

Her worst fears reappeared in her mind.

_Am I the root of the problem?_

She'd known that their relationship was complicated. It extended beyond the both of them. One of them would leave home for good, so both their families would have a say in it. Since Gaara was the Kazekage, such decisions would impact and involve their countries as well. If handled wrongly, there'd be repercussions. They'd both have to face the music.

What she feared most, however, was losing him.

_Is this the end, 'Maru? _

Temari left that question for the morrow, for him to answer. She deserved an explanation; he wouldn't turn that request down...

... Even if it hurt.

_She knew that much._

-End of Chapter 2-

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A/N:

What's Shikamaru been busy with? Any guesses? Please review, or add this story to your alert list if you think it's worth reading on. That'd encourage me greatly; many thanks to those who already have ;)

I originally intended to split Chapter 1 into two parts, but I figured since this chapter was going to be shorter, splitting that up might not be such a good idea after all. Chapter 3's longer; I hope that makes up for this!

Special thanks to _RealyManlyPimps_, _ZAX_ and _Coelha-chan_ and anybody else who reviews Chapter 1 for reviewing...


	3. Women! How Troublesome

**Chapter 3: Women! How Troublesome...**

Within minutes, Shikamaru re-emerged from his room, wearing the grey long-sleeved shirt he always wore when not on shinobi business, instead of his official attire. A white circle with _three_ green lines dividing the circle into _four_ and touching the circumference at _five_ points, that gave the Nara Clan its unique symbol, was clearly imprinted on the back of his shirt.

Though he might not act it, Shikamaru was proud of being a Nara. He'd been given his set of Nara shirts on his fifteenth birthday, and since he'd started wearing them, he'd made a conscious effort to live up to the expectations that came with them. Yoshino had secretly been pleased to note this transformation in him, though she thought it best to retain her nagging as motivation for her disinterested son.

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Hana rose at his reappearance and gathered her kit, ready to leave when Shikamaru was.

'Leaving without this, Shikamaru?'

In his haste, he'd quite forgotten about their meals, so he willingly accepted the picnic-styled bento sets his mum had prepared for Hana and him, adding the container he'd packed earlier to the pile. This was one of the rare occasions when his mum didn't nag at him; she couldn't have chosen a better time to be a sweet, smiling woman. He was glad he'd gotten her a Mothers' Day present after all.

'Thanks, Mum!', he offered gratefully.

'Enjoy your date, dears!', she added with a _sweet_ _smile_; the dutiful, loving mother as always.

Shikamaru looked like he'd just been slapped on both cheeks, and Hana couldn't contain her laughter at his expression.

_Sweet, smiling woman._

Before he could retort with the first thought that came to his mind, Hana beat him to it.

'We will, Yoshino-san!'

Shikamaru now looked like he'd been using the Inuzuka tattoo ink as face paint. This earned him another round of gleeful giggles.

_Jeez. Women!_

He hurried out of the door, preferring to wait outside rather than fall prey to another bout of women's jokes.

This released them from the laughing jutsus they'd succumbed to, and as Hana approached, he was starkly aware, and very thankful for the third time that week, that she didn't smell like dog. They wouldn't meet any deer if strong scents gave them away, and that would defeat the purpose of their _rendezvous_, or so Hana claimed, just to see that tinge of pink spread across his face.

He offered to take her kit for her, and she handed it over automatically; his persistent 'It's troublesome, but men shouldn't let women do more work than necessary when they're asking for favours' slurred out, summarized speech during her first trip there had taught her it was easier to just let him carry her kit for her.

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He was glad he'd persuaded Godaime-sama to keep mum about this affair, succinctly expressing his intentions to keep his personal life private. He was glad she'd accepted his reasons, though she'd also threatened that he'd have a heavier workload waiting for him to clear when he next reported for work. He wondered about how the Hokage'd react if she caught wind of the relationship between _them_, and shuddered at the thought of Temari discovering him with _another_ woman.

_Women… There really was no end to his affinity with them, was there?_

As he led Hana towards the Nara woods, he thought guiltily about how he'd never brought Temari here. He wondered if she'd like it, and decided he hadn't any idea. She'd probably arrived, and he hoped she wouldn't make her own assumptions and jump to the wrong conclusion.

_Women; they were good at this kind of thing. _

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For now, he could only hope. With all his resolve, he pushed Temari out of his mind, and devoted his thoughts to that other female that had been giving him cause for concern for the past few days.

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Her cold shower had done some good. She marveled at how quickly time had passed, as she watched a magnificent sunset fade into the horizon.

The remnants of dwindling light made Temari feel strangely empty. This also reminded her that she hadn't eaten since breakfast. Her eyes trailed the flight of a bird until it disappeared from sight.

Something caught her undivided attention from the corner of her eye. Something that fluttered in the gentle breeze dusk had kicked up. And the something was lying in her bed.

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The sky had darkened. Both Shikamaru and Hana had grown accustomed to the elongated shadows that spread across the undergrowth of the dense forest.

From behind the bushes, they watched and waited. They'd been at it for the past five hours, since they'd located Kumo _('Cloud' in Japanese)_. Hana couldn't help admiring Shikamaru's patience. He'd crouched in the undergrowth tirelessly, barely fidgeting, eyes never leaving _her_.

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When she'd first come, two days ago, she'd been amazed at Shikamaru's keen ninja sense and stamina. His determination and endurance through Kumo-watching had earned her respect. Throughout their field-trip he'd never once complained. She found it difficult to believe, knowing him to be one of Kiba's slack-time buddies.

She'd heard of the vow he'd made from Shizune, whom she sometimes exchanged medical pointers with, but she hadn't expected so drastic an improvement within such a short span of time. He'd changed and matured a lot since his first mission as a Chuunin leader. He'd become stronger; no doubt about it.

What impressed her most were his mannerisms. When he'd invited her over to help watch over Kumo, she'd been more than willing. After all, it wasn't every day you were allowed entry into the Nara compound. And when he said he'd introduce her to Kumo, she'd expected him to point her out, leave her there with _her_, and go off to watch the real clouds.

What he did do was casually approach a solitary doe, stop a few metres away from her, and wait. The cheeky lil' fella had watched him advance, and nonchalantly continued nibbling at some herbs from a nearby shrub.

They'd played a waiting game, Shikamaru watching Kumo, and Kumo pointedly watching anything but Shikamaru.

He then backed off slowly, turning to walk towards Hana, in prolonged movements.

She took the bait and trodded right up to him apologetically, covering his half-turned face with her version of kisses, making him laugh heartily.

His hands soon left his pocket, as he stroked her brown coat, whispering secrets to her with his eyes. Kumo met his gaze, before she resumed licking his face and nuzzling him affectionately.

He indulged her willfulness for a moment, before patting her twice on the head.

'Honou_#_ _('Flame' in Japanese)_ won't be happy if he sees this, Kumo. Behave yourself!'

The intelligent, ravishing beauty then bowed her head and blinked twice, as if ashamed of herself. Shikamaru couldn't resist not bringing out the berries he'd picked for her, allowing the brash doe to help herself with them as she ate straight from his palm.

_He'd always known he'd a VERY soft spot for females. No matter how troublesome they were. His dad had been right._

He'd then gone on to introduce them, and with some coaxing, she allowed Hana to approach, albeit warily.

'Kumo-hime, is this how you're supposed to behave before a visitor?', teased Shikamaru.

She met his gaze again, retreated slightly, and watched Hana with curious eyes.

Shikamaru offered his hand to Hana, and she promptly took it.

'Kumo, this's Hana-senpai.'

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The forest stilled.

They played another waiting game.

.

.

.

Eventually, convinced that Hana meant no harm, she allowed Shikamaru to lead Hana's hand to her nose, and sniffed it inquisitively.

Finally, convinced that Hana was no foe, she permitted her to stroke her muzzle.

Before long, she was nudging them both, inviting them to join her in a game.

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Hana trusted animal instincts. As the resident veterinarian in Konoha, she'd always been able to tell what kind of person a pet owner was, based on how they handed their pet over in her care. She saw through deception easily enough, especially with the wealthier families, who sometimes presented a loving front that hid a cold heart. Attraction and complete trust like Kumo's in Shikamaru didn't come by easily. She'd shown her that Shikamaru was somebody who cared wholeheartedly for those he loved; he'd certainly place the welfare of others above his own. While more experienced shinobi might've seen this as a weakness, Hana felt it made him strong. He'd make a fine comrade, and an excellent leader. Tsunade-sama's status as a Hokage was well-deserved; she had the foresight to look past the flaws of each individual and see them for who they were, and what they'd become. Hokages were definitely one of the best things that happened to Konoha. In fact, she wouldn't be surprised if Shikamaru himself took up that legacy one day…

_What a guy! _

She wondered innocently about how infuriatingly her _innocent_ wandering thoughts might make him blush. If she hadn't known better, she'd have assumed that Shikamaru was trying to get into her good books. Even in the unglamourous crouching position he was in, she found him strongly, strangely attractive.

_She couldn't possibly have been thinking that! Shikamaru was her junior!_

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As Hana mused, she couldn't stop the heat from spreading across her cheeks.

She was glad _she_ wasn't the one he was watching.

_-End of Chapter 3-_

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**A/N:  
**The Nara Clan symbol, if I've correctly identified it, resembles丿人 without the large space between, and with a circle enclosing the characters at the end points. (Of course, it's much more natural and unique, but this form of description was the closest I could get to something similar to it, particularly for those who haven't seen it.) This symbol appears at least twice in the Anime, and Shikamaru appears in this shirt in at least one Shippuuden episode I know of. The part about his receiving it as his birthday present was made up by me. _(Paragraphs 1 and 2)_

The 'slack-mate' part was something I invented on the spur of the moment; I've never seen it used before, and I'm sure you all know what I mean. Back when Naruto and the others were at the Academy, Naruto, Kiba, Shikamaru and Chouji had a bad habit of running out of class for the wrong reasons. You couldn't possibly think Hana never knew about that could you? I'll leave you to speculate on how she might've found out... It's put a strange idea in my head!

_#_Honou's supposed to be a buck; you should've inferred the rest by now.

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I'm having great fun writing! I hope this chapter turned out well. For those of you who may already have guessed what's happening (even if you haven't reviewed), I hope this meets your expectations. It's longer to make up for the previous chapter (yes, it was planned this way), and it's a special chapter for Shikamaru. For the rest of us, let's continue the guessing game, shall we?

Many thanks to everyone who's reviewed! Special thanks to _Zax, Coelha-chan,_ _Dragon Panda,_ _AngelRain61,_ _Tsutsu-sama_ and _PGNarutoFan, _who've reviewed Chapter 2 and who've been extremely supportive.


	4. The Final Say

**Chapter 4: The Final Say**

She eyed the mysterious object warily, chiding herself for not noticing it immediately. The fact that it looked harmless made it all the more suspicious to her. She'd lived her life being cautious of foreign objects, especially if they looked frail and innocent. Once, she'd found a paper fan outside her door, and she found herself much less thrilled at its appearance when it exploded in her face the moment she touched it; she later found out that was Kankurou's idea of a birthday gift.

Her senses geared themselves into action.

Seizing her weapons pouch, she swiftly pulled out a shuriken. Positioning herself by the window to standby for an evacuation, she tossed it lightly. It served its purpose well.

.

Nothing happened.

This alarmed her more.

Scanning the room for possible traps, and finding none, made her all the more confused. She even contemplated giving her Tessen a workout. Temari roughly tore the covers off the bed, expecting an ambush of sorts to spring up at her like Karasu used to have a habit of doing.

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Temari raced her shadow.

As the frosty wind engaged her damp hair in a frenzied dance, she couldn't help wonder if she should've waited just a little longer.

Her four hair ties were left on the bedside table, and her Tessen _(Japanese for 'iron war fan')_ had been conveniently forgotten against it.

Her stomach made a weak protest.

He'd have to do a lot to pacify her. He ought to know that by now. And if he didn't, _she'_d show him.

_Damn Nara._

Though she didn't like the thought of it at all, she'd mentally prepared herself for giving him up and moving on the moment she'd set her mind to approach him in the morning. Shinobi always had to be prepared for the worst; didn't they?

As always, he'd decided he'd have the final say.

And of course, because of his 'final say', she couldn't wait. She had to find out now. Surely he'd known that too?

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His handwritten words had scribbled themselves furiously in her mind's eye, and they seemed to fly off the very page she'd read earlier as the wind in her mind tossed them about.

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_Woman,_

_I owe you an explanation. There was something urgent I'd to attend to. Tell you more soon. Rest well; you'll need your energy to hit me._

_Nara_

_P.S. I'll try not to dodge._

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What was she to make of that?!

Nara was very wrong, if he believed she'd be an obedient little girl and sleep snugly, knowing that an explanation would find its way to her when it felt up to it.

After being apart for so long, surely he'd more to say than what he'd written? That _annoying_ kid hadn't even had the courtesy to address her properly, or apologise, though come to think of it, he hadn't written 'troublesome' down. He'd either been in a great hurry, or thought better about leaving traces of his complaints in black and white.

Then again, Nara never wrote those down in his reports. She felt some sadistic sense of delight thinking that he had been reporting to her. It left her feeling… highly fulfilled. At least he'd bothered letting her know. It'd certainly spared him from the full wrath of her Tessen's abilities.

_Wrath? He wouldn't taste Tessen-wind tonight, she remembered with a jolt._

For an odd reason, this made her fume again. She supposed her Tessen's absence made her just a little temperamental.

'She's freaky with her fan,' Kankurou had once muttered to Karasu under his breath, 'but she's like a horror movie without it.'

That had, naturally, been Kankurou's ticket to a dramatic puppet-show (without puppets) in a class of its own. Upon seeing his widened eyes and priceless expression, she'd stopped, of course (though Nara didn't need to be gifted with that information). She was always satisfied with leaving it at that; in fact, she'd embraced Kankurou's snide remark as a compliment to her skills as a kunoichi. Unnecessary violence had never been her ninja way.

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_Well, perhaps she did get carried away once in a while…_

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Her thoughts carried her to the large gates of the Nara compound.

She raised her hand to sound the bell, realizing too late, that she hadn't yet invented an excuse for turning up uninvited on the Nara doorstep, with a growling stomach, during dinnertime.

The distant chime of a traditional bell sounded, and she hurriedly attempted to make herself look presentable by straightening her hair and smoothing down her clothes. It wasn't easy, especially as she hadn't the aid of a mirror. She'd never seen the point of carrying that shiny thing around.

_She'd never bothered with her appearance; she was sure he didn't either._

But surely she ought to make an effort for him, in front of his parents?

What'd they think of her in her wind-washed state? (#1)

_What was it about Nara that always seemed to make her leave parts of her behind?_ (#2)

It'd certainly be much simpler if she chose to turn away now...

If she stayed, she'd ruin a great first impression she could've made of herself and of Suna. If she left before she was discovered, her impoliteness wouldn't matter.

She turned on her heels.

It didn't matter that it'd be too late to regret later when she lay in bed, waiting for sleep to come, wondering why she'd walked away against the wishes of her heart.

_He'd had the final say after all._

-End of Chapter 4-

* * *

**A/N:**

(#1) I invented 'wind-washed' as well. I like the feel of it; hope you do too!

(#2) '_What was it about Nara that always seemed to make her leave parts of her behind?'._ 'Wind Shadows' might address your doubts about the significance of this line, if it doesn't make sense to you. In this case, Temari means 'leave _parts of her_ behind' in a different sense from that in 'Wind Shadows'; based on what has been written earlier in the chapter, I hope you inferred as much.

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

Did this chapter work for you? Please let me know. Thanks!

Many thanks to _RealyManlyPimps, Coelha-chan, Tsutsu-sama, Dragon Panda, PGNarutoFan, ZAX/NGT, myhiddenlove08 _and_ That Flailing Spazz _for reviewing Chapter 3!

Special thanks to _Midnight Memories_, and twice again to _That Flailing Spazz_, whom I didn't get to acknowledge in an A/N in the previous chapters.


	5. Interference

**Chapter 5: Interference**

Temari watched as the Nara gates swung shut behind her with a soft click.

She had a vague impression of pushing those gates shut, probably in her dreams, but wondered how she'd been dragged here without her realisation.

She couldn't possibly have sleepwalked here, could she? She never left her bed subconsciously, as far as she knew. If she did, she was sure Kankurou would make sure the whole of Suna, and possibly Konoha (through Naruto), knew.

Then what was this? Genjutsu?

Looking down at her hands, she made to pull the Nara gates open.

.

'What about some dinner before you rush off, Temari-san? You couldn't possibly be on a diet like me, could you?'

She instantly redirected herself to face the source of her confusion, and resisted the urge to scowl as best as she could.

_So that was how she found herself here without knowing it.  
__How DARE that woman mess with her mind? If she'd seen anything she shouldn't have…_

Temari dreaded the thought of being at the mercy of Ino, but it was swiftly dispelled by another.

_What was __**she**__ doing here?_

.

'Oh come on, Temari-san! Dinner is about to be served!'

Temari was now getting towed towards the Nara residence.

'Stop! What's this about? I wasn't invited for dinner. I only dropped by to… To…'

She couldn't answer that question.__

_Wasn't this the reason why she'd walked away in the first place?_

'To see Shikamaru?' offered Ino.

'See him? Why would I want to do that?'

'You wouldn't of course! You decided to take a nice, leisurely _stroll _and ended up on the Nara doorstep to ring the bell because you _didn't_ wanna see him… Next time I wanna avoid someone, I'll write to you for advice.'

Though Temari let her eyes explore the grass rather than Ino, she could hear the hints of a mock in her smirk.

_Had she been prying around in her mind earlier?  
__No. That was impossible. Those thoughts were kept well hidden, even to herself._

'What're you playing at, Ino-_san_?', her voice dipped, dangerously quiet.

'Um… Nothing. I'm not playing. I wouldn't dare to mes- eh… _play_ with you.'

Temari was pleased to note Ino had gotten her message loud and clear.

'It's just… Well, I _really_ need a favour. _Please?_'

'What fav-?'

'Stay for dinner.'

'I alr-'

'I know what you said, but Aunt Yoshino doesn't seem to understand what diets are, and she'll insist I finish up _e-v-e-r-y_ scrap on my plate. If I did, my entire week's worth of dieting would be wasted. So… _Please? _Spare me the agony by giving her another mouth to feed!'

Temari contemplated her words. Diets? Ino could do with some nutrition, in her opinion. As she toyed with the idea of leaving the desperate Ino to her devices, her rumbling stomach betrayed her.

That must've been Ino's cue to grab Temari and run back to the house, because she found herself in the dining room before she registered that she was approaching Nara's home.

She couldn't deny her disappointment when she didn't see _him_ at the dining table, but she concealed it as well as she could.

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

.

Shikamaru packed away the bento sets as they finished the last of their meal, knotting the bundle with a distant look on his face.

Hana watched anxiously as he gripped the container he'd prepared earlier. Though she was curious about its contents, she didn't ask.

Kumo had started acting up. She strutted around shiftily, twitching and pawing the ground. She'd been pacing along the radius of shapes that she alone could see for the past hour or so. On their third rendezvous, Kumo had seemingly decided to end their wait.

'It shouldn't be long now.'

As Hana's eyes trailed down to the container Shikamaru was holding, that hadn't accompanied them on previous trips, she realised he'd been sure today would be the day.

It didn't surprise her; he did.

After a few rounds of simple arm and leg stretches, he stood silently. Hana instinctively tugged on his arm, yanking him downwards forcefully.

_They weren't supposed to blow cover today; what'd that guy been thinking?_

'What was that for?', she harshly hissed.

'It's time', was all he would say.

'Be patient, Shikamaru. You'll startle her if you appear now. Kumo doesn't need stress right now.'

'She's scared. I can't let her go through this alone.'

Her stern gaze softened at Shikamaru's expression, and her voice lost its rough edge.

'Sometimes it's for the better.'

.

He studied his fingers intently. Hearing his voice of reason outside his head right now wasn't what he needed.

_Why did females have to complicate things so much?_

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

.

'This's Temari. She came by to see Shikamaru, and since I had a late lunch and can't eat too much now, I thought she could have my dinner, so it wouldn't go to waste, Aunt Yoshino.'

'You don't mind, do you?', she asked sweetly, looking from Yoshino to Shikaku.

'Of course not, Ino-chan.'

Ino had _obviously_ known the Naras wouldn't mind. Temari couldn't help finding Ino's presence in _his_ home a little too irksome for her liking.

_She still hadn't found out what __**she**__ was doing there._

Shikaku rose to offer Temari a handshake; Yoshino smiled and welcomed her heartily.

He didn't miss the slight eyebrow movement she tried to conceal when she shook his hand.

.

Yoshino hadn't been surprised when their unexpected guest arrived. She knew Ino always had tricks up her sleeve to avoid finishing her meals. Honestly, the way the girl shunned her food; you'd have imagined it was inedible. She needed fattening up, that one.

What she hadn't expected, was Ino's choice of a dinner partner. She'd have thought Ino might invite Chouji instead; seems like the girl was starting to appreciate her food! Just as well, since she had prepared an extremely large portion in anticipation of Ino's tricks. Naras were always a few steps ahead.

Neither Yoshino nor Temari found it easy to contain their laughter when Ino's eyes widened to take in the sight of her ENORMOUS meal portion.

_Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all._

.

-End of Chapter 5-

**

* * *

**

A/N:

Shikamaru does have lots of women in his life, wouldn't you say?

Now, what was Ino doing at Shikamaru's place?

This chapter had to come in because there were some important connections I needed to make. Thank you all for staying with me so far; bear with me for a while more, and you'll get your questions answered!

Many thanks to _Twylyte, myhiddenlove08, Dragon Panda, Coelha-chan, The Reviewer, Midnight Memories, That Flailing Spazz, PGNarutoFan, _ZAX_/NGT, AngelRain61 and YamiTai_ for reviewing Chapter 4, and again to _Midnight Memories _and _AngelRain61_, whom I haven't thanked in previous A/Ns for their reviews of earlier chapters.


	6. Closing the Distance

**Chapter 6: Closing the Distance**

He knew she was right.

_But he preferred not to think so._

When he stood up again, she didn't try to stop him.

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

Yoshino was pleased to note that the Sand kunoichi was more sensible than Ino and Sakura, who spent most of their meal times at her home on diets and arguments.

Shikaku and Temari cleared their plates within minutes of each other, and washed their meals down with a few hearty cups of _ryokucha_ (Japanese for 'green tea'). Yoshino had kindly elaborated about the health benefits of the drink before her, and she found herself enjoying the bland yet aromatic _ocha_ (Japanese for 'tea').

In the barren Suna landscape, even weeds were difficult to coax from the ground, and the available greenhouses were strictly designated for the mass-harvesting of fruits and vegetables, and the growing of medical herbs. Besides, the scarce water Suna had couldn't be wasted on additional plants. Konoha was rich in so many ways – hospitality, well-developed talent, natural resources... Suna was lacking in more ways than she'd expected.

.

Shikaku rose and shared a look with his wife, sparing Ino some words before he made to leave.

'Ino, after dinner you'll be tested on the basic medicinal properties of Konohan herbs. Sakura mastered them in a month; I'd expect similar progress from you, if you intend to continue being a medical ninja.'

He didn't add that Shikamaru had taken less than a week to familiarise himself with them and their uses at the exceptionally early age of five, or that he'd accompanied him on herb-gathering trips cum training sessions soon after. It was expected of a Nara. _(#1)_

Ino pushed her food from one end of the plate to the other.

'Could we please start now?'

'Yoshino will be testing you tonight.'

'But-'

'You do know she's well-versed in medicine, don't you?' _(#2)_

_Of course she knew._

Ino didn't like the sweet smile that had appeared on Yoshino's face.

.

Before leaving the room, Shikaku regarded Temari with a sideward glance.

'Temari, right? If you'd like, I'll take you to Shikamaru.'

Temari wasn't sure she felt comfortable being alone with _his_ dad, whom she barely even knew, but Shikaku solved that problem for them.

'Now we're all set to go', he announced, as the bell chimed for the second time that night.

.

From the front door of the Nara residence, Shikaku snaked his shadow to welcome the visitor in.

Temari couldn't help smiling as she witnessed this.

_Using shadows just to save the trouble of walking to open the Nara gates? Sure, it was quite a distance away, but still…_

Shikamaru was more like his dad than she'd imagined.

.

'Thanks for the invitation, Uncle Shikaku!'

Shikaku waved it off.

'Kumo and Shikamaru both want you to be here, I know.'

_Kumo? She'd never heard Shikamaru mention that name before._

Chouji smiled, nodded at Temari, and took two steps towards the source of the aromatic scent drifting from his favourite place in any compound.

'Chouji, supper can wait, right?'

With a reluctant glance, he resisted the urge to rush in and finish off Ino's meal for her.

_Kumo was more important. Shikamaru was more important. Food could wait._

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

.

Shikamaru held her gaze, as she studied him.

Twitching uncomfortably, she made to move towards him half-heartedly.

He hadn't moved.

She attempted a weak bleat.

A few days ago Kumo'd had more power in her lungs.

_Surely she hadn't been drained of so much energy?_

Still holding Kumo's gaze, he pried the cover of the container open, revealing a mushy paste.

Slowly, he made his way to her.

Kumo bleated again and stepped towards him.

_Maybe she'd been wrong after all._

He stroked her muzzle, whispering to her. Hana couldn't make out the words, but she was glad that she hadn't stopped Shikamaru this time; the doe had calmed down considerably upon seeing him.

Without being prompted, he offered her the contents within the container, and observed her as she nibbled at it.

He laughed softly when she licked the container clean and proceeded to lick his hand when she was satisfied that no trace of the paste was left.

The twitching hadn't stopped, but Kumo was making an immense effort to stay as still as she could.

_For him._

Shikamaru squatted and ran his hands down her flank. She licked his forehead in response. He ruffled her fur, and when she bleated faintly, reversed the action.

They accompanied each other for a while, until he decided to give her space.

He didn't manage to go far. She made a bleat of protest as he backed off, and he stopped a few metres away from her. That seemed to please her, and she settled herself in the grass, still fidgeting visibly, eyes on him.

_Dad was right; he really spoiled her too much. Even she had her way with him…_

Resigned, Shikamaru sat against a tree, with one knee supporting an elbow and the other stretched out. Satisfied, she tugged softly at a leaf stalk with her teeth.

Hana hadn't had to come, from the looks of it. They were managing well enough without her.

Almost time, now.

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

.

She felt like they were on an S-rank mission, with the secrecy and silence that accompanied one trailing through the woods with them. She knew she was still in the dark, and the shady presence of trees made her feel like she didn't belong.

Both men sensed her anxiety, but neither made a move to dispel it. Temari couldn't bear it.

She pulled to an abrupt stop, and they hung back politely.

'What's going on?' she demanded.

'You'll find out in about fifteen minutes,' Shikaku supplied, almost before her question ended.

Chouji remained silent.

Despite this, neither headed off.

She looked from one to the other, slightly shocked at their responses. As a Jounin, she was used to calling the shots, and as the Kazekage's sister, she liked knowing that she knew things that others didn't.

_Here it was different._

She gulped and nodded, and the party resumed their expedition.

.

'Temari-san,' drifted a soft voice to her right.

She questioningly turned to Chouji.

'He misses you, you know?'

She nearly ran into a tree.

_No point feigning ignorance. They both knew who 'he' was._

'What makes you say so?'

'Shikamaru…'

'… he's different when you're away.'

.

The rest of the trek was made in silence.

.

-End of Chapter 6-

* * *

**A/N:  
**_(#1) _The Nara's expertise in herbs and medicine is again, my assumption, inferred and adapted from pre-Shippuuden and Shippuuden episodes; from them, I gather that they have excellent research skills and brains, hence are more inclined towards medicine than healing. Even without that background, I think they do excellent as shinobi, wouldn't you say?

_(#2) _About Yoshino's expertise in medicine, I invented that bit too. I wouldn't be surprised that even if she hadn't a background in medicine, she'd have made herself pick it up, because of the Nara clan's expertise in it. (See above.) Look at how she drives her husband and son! ;)

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

Thanks so much for waiting and staying with me! I hope things are starting to get clearer to you. This should answer a few questions you might have asked yourselves earlier in the story; does it satisfy you for now?

As promised, the special incident will be revealed by the end of Chapter 7. Have some of your suspicions been strengthened at this point?

This chapter made me pause and think quite a lot of times, compared to previous chapters.

Many thanks to _NGT, myhiddenlove08, AngelRain61, ThisIsntClaire, Coelha-chan, Midnight Memories, That Flailing Spazz, Lynn Acissej, PGNarutoFan _and_ YamiTai_ for reviewing Chapter 5.

Special thanks to _Laladadedo _for reviewing earlier chapters and my other fanfictions, and to _NGT, __Coelha-chan_, _tiekko, PGNarutoFan_ and _AngelRain61_ for reviewing 'Back to Back'.


	7. Soft Spots

**Chapter 7: Soft Spots**

A clearing came into view.

Shikaku, who was leading the way, stopped.

'Stealth. They should be just ahead.'

.

The search continued.

And ended almost immediately after.

.

Temari took in the sight of a figure that couldn't seem to keep still. Having never seen something like that before, she turned to Chouji for answers.

'What-'

'That's Kumo.', he stated matter-of-factly.

Annoyed Temari had to make a BAIKA effort to keep from roaring at Chouji.

'Kumo's a deer.' supplied Shikaku, just in time.

'Oh!' came Temari's sheepish exclamation.

'So that's why there's a 'Shika' in both yours and Shikamaru's names?'

She regretted it the moment that stupid question left her lips.

_What was she? An idiot? To think something so dumb had escaped her mouth!_

'Partly.'

When he didn't elaborate, she didn't press for answers.

.

It soon became apparent to her that Kumo was watching Shikamaru and vice versa.

She couldn't hide her disappointment on finding out that he'd put off seeing her for that animal.

_A deer was more urgent and important than her?_

She glared angrily at the bushes rather than at them; hopefully neither could sense her burst of emotions.

That was when she made out the outline of another crouching figure.

A crouching _female_ figure.

A crouching _female_ figure who couldn't seem to keep her eyes off _him_.

It all became clear at once.

_To think she'd been jealous of a deer!_

She stilled, masking her emotions without even trying. It was a skill she'd acquired from growing up in the harsh, unfeeling deserts of Suna.

Both her male companions gave her wary glances. She wondered if her murderous intent had given her away.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

When she opened them, the figure was gone.

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

.

'How are things here, Hana?'

Temari watched, as the female figure she'd glared at earlier appeared on their left.

_So it hadn't been her imagination._

'Kumo just had some snacks, so she should have enough energy to last till it's over.'

Shikaku gave her a nod.

'We won't need to wait much longer.' he assured.

'Shikamaru-kun believes so too.'

.

Temari didn't like the way the _other_ woman pronounced _his_ name.

Shikaku smirked.

'Thanks for keeping him sane, Hana.'

Hana's cheeks darkened.

Temari was certain that the forest's shifting shadows had nothing to do with that.

_And she didn't like the sight of it._

.

Refusing to hear anything more that might irk her, Temari wandered further.

She peered out at Kumo from the cover of thick foliage. Being closer helped her make out poised legs and an almost non-existent little rump of a tail.

Despite her anger and jealousy, she couldn't help sneaking glances at _him_.

Seeing the object of his attention alternate between heaving in her sitting position and twitching when she rose drained away most of her more violent emotions.

Despite herself, she found a smile sneaking onto her face.

Wrath could wait for when she had his attention.

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

.

Between breaths, Temari had managed to save lingering glances for Shikamaru. Seeing him again, after that agonizing length of time apart, made her forget to be angry.

_She'd missed him a lot more than she'd have liked to admit._

.

He scrutinized Kumo's every movement, his body subconsciously drawn forward, hands pressed together, ready to jump to her rescue the moment she needed it.

It reminded her slightly of his behavior in the Konoha hospital after his first mission as a squad leader. Only this time, she was holding her breath along with him.

She hadn't thought he'd have it in him to wear such a tender expression. He surprised even her with the intensity of his gaze. She wouldn't be surprised if he was an anxious, protective father eagerly awaiting the arrival of his first child. She'd have liked to think that her father had welcomed her to the world in such a manner…

Still clueless about what they were waiting for, but being too proud to admit that she was curious, she stayed where she was.

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

.

When Temari saw the unstable little ball of fur stirring in the grass, she still couldn't believe what she'd just witnessed.

On its initial appearance three-quarters of an hour ago, she'd gasped in horror, appalled.

It had been a fascinating, yet somewhat traumatizing affair. Perhaps she was stunned at seeing blood taint such a gentle, peaceful creature. Or perhaps she'd been amazed at the amount of stamina the sweet doe possessed; the determination to pull through, and the immense concentration in the process of enduring great pain.

Not a whimper had escaped the brave creature, though she breathed heavily and let her legs give in to her weight soon after the emergence of the little one.

And just like that, new life was welcomed into the world.

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

.

Temari watched Kumo pause from licking her damp little one thoroughly. She'd lost count of the number of licks, but she was sure this was the first time Kumo had stopped.

Something that sounded like the creaking of an extremely old door emerged as a faint whimper from Kumo's throat, and she struggled to her feet.

Shikamaru rose too.

Kumo now attempted to nose the miniature version of herself to its feet. It wobbled on spindly legs and collapsed.

She made that strange whiny noise again, and raised her head towards Shikamaru.

Three strides were all that took him to reach her.

He half-knelt just in front of her, as Kumo alternated between licking and coaxing her baby to its feet with one eye on him.

She softly nudged the little fawn towards him.

When he failed to respond, she nose-butted the poor little deer into him.

Both her victims were stunned.

Shikamaru eased the fawn's shock by stroking him softly, and studied Kumo.

She ignored him, and proceeded to give her fawn, and Shikamaru's hands, a bath with her tongue. For some reason, this made him smile.

Temari found herself smiling along.

The fawn had inherited its mother's habits, from the look of it. Its tiny tongue had ventured out to explore the world, or more specifically, Shikamaru's hand.

He laughed at that, and stroked both Kumo and the newborn.

Somehow, witnessing this precious moment made Temari think fondly of Gaara. She wished that he could've been here to experience the warmth that bonds seemed to emit.

_Because some things were better felt than explained._

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

.

Neither Kumo nor Shikamaru were startled at Shikaku's sudden appearance.

'Well Shikamaru? What's his name to be?'

Shikamaru watched a breeze coax the fawn to stand by ruffling its fluffy dappled coat. The tiny moons on the fawn's back reflected the radiance of the moonlight.

When it took its first shaky step towards him, Shikamaru breathed out.

'Kaze.'

'Fine name, Shikamaru.' Shikaku motioned to the fawn, who had now taken two more tentative steps against the wind without losing his balance.

_Kaze… Swift and strong…_

This conjured an image in Shikamaru's mind.

He watched Kaze rocking unsteadily on his little feet. Barely an hour old, and already exhibiting his mother's fearless nature.

_And relentless like the wind… _Like_ her._

Shikaku pat his son on the back.

'You can have a good night's sleep, son. I'll watch these two tonight.'

'Thanks, Dad.' yawned Shikamaru, with a stretch that lengthened his shadow.

'I'll be back in the morning with an apple for Kumo.'

Shikaku smiled.

_Intellect. Maturity. Reliability. Sensibility. And that soft spot for females._

His son had grown up a true Nara.

.

-End of Chapter 7-

* * *

**A/N:**

The secret's out!

I've seen deer mentioned in Shikamaru fanfictions, but I haven't discovered any that focused enough on the deer to demonstrate the special relationship between them and the Nara clan. I thought having a deer birth would be a nice way to explore the true character of a Nara. I believe this (using the Nara-deer connection and the deer fawning) to be my original idea, since I haven't read any Shikamaru fanfictions along these lines; please send me a PM to correct me if I'm wrong.

I didn't want to make you wonderful people wait longer than necessary, so this chapter was longer than usual. If you thought it was worth the wait, please make my day by letting me know in a signed or anonymous review. Thanks!

There were more gory details of the special incidence that I chose to not write out, which will certainly not affect the purpose of the story. _YamiTai_ rightly guessed the nature of this special incident in her Chapter 4 review, and _Midnight Memories_ came close to it in her Chapter 6 review ;)

Five more chapters have been written to answer questions that have been raised earlier. Hang on!

Many thanks to _myhiddenlove08, DontMessWithAnime, Coelha-chan, PGNarutoFan, NGT, Laladadedo,_ _Midnight Memories, jokerstrikesback, Temari no Sabaku and AngelRain61_ for reviewing Chapter 6!

Special thanks to _Laladadedo_ for reviewing earlier chapters, to _etim_ for reviewing 'Shadows of the Night', to _Temari-no-Sabaku_ for reviewing 'Wind Shadows' and to _Sand-Jounin-Temari, Laladadedo, jokerstrikesback, Juuroku-sama, Midnight Memories, Temari-no-Sabaku _for reviewing 'Back to Back'.

By the way, 'Soft Spots', the title of this chapter, can be interpreted in at least two ways. It was specially thought up for this purpose ;)


	8. Self Reproach

**Chapter 8: Self-Reproach**

'Temari!'

Shikamaru could only watch in dismay as the blond of the Suna Kunoichi's hair disappeared into the shadows.

_Explanations alone wouldn't suffice this time. It'd be even tougher if she chose not to listen._

He needed to find a way to make it up to her.

His shoulders drooped as he gathered Hana's kit and the bento bundle, and his sigh dragged out.

_She wasn't supposed to be there; it wasn't part of the plan. And just when he thought the worst was over…_

.

'Shikamaru, that's my job from here. I'll walk the other two ladies home.'

'Chouji!'

Chouji's obliging smile soothed Shikamaru's distress, and he readily handed the objects over.

_Chouji knew. He'd probably known all along._

'Go, Shikamaru!'

.

Hana observed this exchange with amusement, and returned Shikamaru's nod as he melted into the depths of the forest.

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

.

Her wits had apparently taken flight as soon as she had.

She wondered which was more stupid – running off in the first place, or stopping to mull over her actions. As she leaned, panting slightly against a tree, her instinctive, adrenaline-inducing flight immediately converted into a strange chilling sensation that somehow made her feel immensely guilty.

Sure, she'd felt oddly sneaky at having arrived uninvited, and she had wondered if Shikamaru would consider her actions an intrusion, but surely that was no reason to flee like an escaped convict when his eyes met hers?

Being concerned for him was one thing, spying on him when he least expected it was something else altogether. He'd been prepared to explain, but she'd refused to wait. It only meant one thing.

_The fault was hers entirely._

And she'd run away like a coward. What'd_ they_ think of her? The implications of her rash actions only struck her now. Bolting only made her seem petty and testy. Neither of which she'd like associated with her. Feisty and straightforward she may be, but no matter how she saw it, she wasn't the tantrum-throwing, easily irritable sort of girl who jumped to conclusions at the slightest hint of anything.

She did have the tendency to be a _wee bit_ prone to jealousy, but surely no sane person was immune to that? And even if she sometimes let her imagination take free reign whether or not the situation warranted it, she'd ultimately find a way to get to the root of the matter.

Nobody knew her better than herself, she was certain of that. While she was acutely aware of her weaknesses, she also knew for a fact that she'd never bothered much about how others perceived her. She carried herself well and took pride in her work, hence had every reason to hold her head high. Others had a right to think of her in whatever way made their day; it wasn't her business.

Unfortunately, try as she might, she couldn't not be honest with herself.

She wanted_ their_ approval.

_Because they mattered to him, and he mattered to her._

.

She sidled onto the floor and used her knees as support for her elbows, as she held her head wondering why she'd been so ridiculously dumb, and attempting to think of a way to undo the damage she'd dealt herself.

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

.

That was how Shikamaru found her. Eyes shut, head slightly inclined towards the ground. Perfectly still.

He watched her from a safe angle, careful to shield his presence. He needed indications on her mood if he were to have a decent chance of earning a chance to defend himself. If she spotted him before he revealed himself, he'd be greatly disadvantaged. Being forthright was in her nature, hence she certainly wouldn't appreciate his 'sneaking up on her', as she'd put it.

.

_Lost in thought. Slightly distressed._

He'd never thought he'd see her like this before. When she was formulating schemes to adapt the Suna Academy curriculum or thinking up ways to make the Chuunin exams as agonizing as possible for the poor candidates ('It's no fun without a challenge', she'd quipped), she had a habit of tilting her head to her right and staring intently at whatever object was conveniently on her left. More often than not, that object came in the form of him. She seemed to find observing her surroundings more inspiring than closing her eyes, which was his habit. His habits must've rubbed off on her; either that, or…

She was thinking _very_ hard. And trying to keep her emotions in order, from the looks of it – once in a while, she'd massage her forehead gently with her fingers. He wondered if it was her unbound shoulder-length hair or her posture that made her look different, but he found it extremely beautiful all the same.

He'd wait for the right moment. Once she'd sorted out her emotions, she'd be more receptive of anything that came her way. Because Sabaku no Temari was somebody who wasn't easily angered. Even if she did throw her Tessen about whimsically, it was usually more an act of affection than of fury; it never landed as hard as it could have. And on the occasions when she unveiled the power of wind, her victim wouldn't come out of it unscathed.

He'd only ever seen her lose her cool once before. It'd been enough to convince him that she wasn't easily prone to getting angered into acting without thinking. _(#)_

Temari might be unpredictable, but he was glad she wasn't unreasonable. Behind the façade she draped over herself, she was a normal human being with emotions.

Her palms fell to her knees, and she rested her head against the trunk, lifting her gaze towards the canopy of gently fluttering leaves overhead. The wind swooped to let her join in its games, and as leaf litter flurried, she let them brush her fingers.

A stray leaf tickled her neck, and she winced.

The wind lost its rhythm, as it swept through the forest, leaving her behind, with the stubborn crinkly leaf that refused to be taken along with the breeze.

.

-End of Chapter 8-

* * *

**A/N:  
**Here you go! This story's nearing completion; it ends in four chapters. This chapter wasn't easy to start, but once I got going, it led to the completion of the two chapters that followed…

_(#) _With reference to the line _'He'd only ever seen her lose her cool once before'_, I was inspired to write a one shot about that single incident Shikamaru saw Temari lose her cool. If you're interested, do read 'Back to Back' after you're done with this chapter / story, whichever you finish later. Before you do, though, I'd really appreciate it if you'd leave me a review! Thanks! :D

Many thanks to _AngelRain61, Kag3nui, myhiddenlove08, Sand-Jounin-Temari, Temari no Sabaku, YamiTai, PGNarutoFan, etimaru, Coelha-chan, LishaVilla _and_ Tsutsu-sama_ for reviewing Chapter 7!

Special thanks to _roxas-kh_ for reviewing 'Back to Back', to _NGT_-chan and _Midnight Memories_ for being ever supportive and whom I know will review this chapter when they manage to squeeze in time to read it.

By the way, I'm not sure when I'll post Chapter 9, because I promised one of my precious friends (and reviewer) that I'd wait for her to finish reading Chapters 7 and 8 before I next post. I hope you'd be willing to wait with me :D


	9. Plans Backfire!

**A/N:****  
**_NGT_-chan, this chapter's dedicated to you, darling! *HUG* You're an amazing, awesome, remarkable, extremely dear, close friend! :D I'm sure you'll be able to relate to some incidences and images in this chapter ;) Love you tonnes, dear! 3 Hopefully you'll read this no earlier than 2 weeks from now; you know what I'd have to say about your reading it before that…

* * *

**Chapter 9: Plans Backfire!  
**

'Come out, Nara.'

Shikamaru obliged.

'You called, Temari-_sama_?'

She turned to let him face her unhindered golden locks, swishing gently in the wind, hiding the smug look on her face.

_So he wasn't angry…_

She pretended to ignore him.

'Look, I know I should've explained it to you in that letter. But if you'd known, you'd have insisted on coming.'

'You don't want me here, Nara?' she responded instantaneously.

With a brain like his, surely he'd have no problems coming up with something that he knew she'd have liked to hear?

.

'No. Of course I'd have invited you over. It's just…'

'.. it didn't cross my mind. I'm sorry.'

.

Temari was taken aback for a fleeting moment.

Others might've pulled the 'I didn't want to tire you out after your long journey here.', or 'I didn't want you to make a wasted trip if it wasn't tonight.', or perhaps even the 'There wasn't time' line on her, and though she'd have been willing to accept his apology for any of the other reasons, she was glad he hadn't used them. He had chosen to be honest with her, rather than think up excuses that exempted him from blame.

_But still, she had to make sure._

She spun round slowly to observe him.

.

'Who's Hana to you?'

He made an audible sigh.

'Hana-_senpai_'s a vet. She's also Kiba's sister. I invited her over to help with Kumo, the doe you met earlier.'

.

Temari could've laughed out loud at Shikamaru's approach to the question, but her disciplined senses allowed her to keep a straight face during the interrogation.

If troublesome was an expression, it was surely written all over his face now. Sometimes, he could be so _transparent_. It was amusing to behold.

_She was having too much fun! Now that he was at her mercy, she'd mentally torture him…_

.

'So you decide to invite your little harem and conveniently leave me out?'

He scratched his head and raised his eyebrows at her.

'Harem? You mean the doe? This _is_ their home.'

She nearly snorted in sadistic elation at his seriousness. This was definitely better than whacking him with her Tessen!

.

'I meant your _darling_ Ino...' she stated, trying to sound as unconcerned as she could.

'Ino's here? She should've told me she was coming; I could've walked her here.' Shikamaru _accidentally_ let slip, observing her from the corner of his eye.

_Tired or not, he was sharp, that Nara. She'd been playing him; now her plan was starting to backfire…_

.

'Why'd you leave Kumo? Isn't she much more important to you than troublesome shinobi duty?'

'Oi, woman. You're not jealous of Kumo are you?'

His expression switched from bemusement to seriousness in an instant, and his tone softened.

'Kumo's a first time mum. She's… _special_ to me because I watched her grow up; she's always getting into trouble… I always have to get her out of it.' he held his head with a long sigh, and took a deep breath.

'You're much more than just shinobi duty to me, Temari. Please, don't ever doubt that.'

_That _was all the assurance she needed.

She let his words sink in slowly, and patted the grass beside her. Shikamaru dropped beside her soundlessly.

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

.

'You're good at stealth, Nara.'

'When you're on familiar territory, it's easier to sneak around.' he shrugged nonchalantly.

'If you hadn't prodded me with that spiky, offending leaf, I'd have had a very peaceful evening enjoying the breeze. You didn't do a good job. I managed to trace it to you.', accused Temari.

.

That'd been his true intention. He'd deliberately separated that lone leaf from its companions. Nobody knew the wind like Temari. She'd have sensed the abnormality at once.

_And they both were distinctly aware of that._

.

'Guess I need more practice in concealment.' he noted.

She gave in.

.

'You win, Crybaby. You won the moment you used your shadow.'

The corner of his lips stretched slightly, as he watched her doing a version of a pout.

.

'With that level of stealth and skill, you should already be on your way to Jounin promotion.' she muttered grudgingly.

'I didn't manage to catch any sight of your shadow…' she admitted.

'… you beat me fair and square.'

He scratched his head in embarrassment; he'd never been comfortable with receiving compliments.

.

Before he knew it, Temari had draped an arm around his neck, and had proceeded to tousle his hair like she might've done to a five year old. He got the distinct impression that this was her first time ruffling somebody's hair; her hand felt clumsy yet gentle in a rough way on his head.

When he scowled at her, she tugged and his hair tie came loose. He groaned. Without the hair tie he'd have to continually push his long fringe out of his eyes… Now _that_ was troublesome, and also the reason why he bothered tying his hair up in the first place.

He was then subjected to discomforting gawking for some troublesome minutes.

_The woman hadn't even bothered being subtle about it._

.

When she was satisfied that he was still him, she let her head rest on his shoulder, and heaved a sigh of contentment. His gaze fell on the top of her head, and he threaded his fingers through her hair. Her locks were as strong-willed as their master; they each seemed to have a mind of their own. He wondered if that was why she kept them in four bunches instead of two, so they'd be easier to handle.

Thinking of her in two mini-ponytails conjured a ridiculous image in his mind, and he chuckled softly to himself at a poodle-like, childish, innocent, dazed-looking Temari who belonged in his imagination.

She lifted her head, and when their eyes met, a burst of uncontrollable laughter escaped his lips.

Despite her curiosity, she didn't demand to know why he'd been laughing, though she strongly suspected it was at her expense.

_That was one of the lovely things about Temari. She always gave him an alternative._

He told her anyway, without any prompting, and their laughter echoed melodiously throughout the forest.

.

-End of Chapter 9-

* * *

**A/N:  
**This chapter is special to me. I shan't elaborate, but I'd love to know if it managed to work its way into your heart. Please let me know!

I couldn't post this chapter earlier because of my workload and time constraints, despite the fact that my dear friend had already reviewed much earlier than expected... Thanks for waiting with me! The next chapter should take about two weeks to be posted for the same personal reasons.

Many thanks to _hikari107, Kag3nui, .Temari .no. Sabaku., myhiddenlove08, NGT_-chan_, jokerstrikesback, Coelha-chan, Shikamaru's Destiny (Sand-Jounin-Temari), InosBane, etimaru, seki216, AngelRain61, YamiTai, roxas-kh_ for letting me know what you thought of Chapter 8!

Special thanks to _NGT_-chan (again) and _Midnight Memories_ for their pleasant surprises in the form of reviews to Chapter 7 despite their extremely hectic schedules, as well as to _InosBane_ who hasn't forgotten about 'Beyond the Shadows', and who has greatly encouraged me in her reviews of two earlier chapters! :D


	10. Pet Names

**A/N:**  
This chapter's dedicated to _Midnight Memories_, _AngelRain61_ and _NGT_-chan. Thanks a trillion, dears! :D

* * *

**Chapter 10: Pet Names**

'Turn around, Nara.'

He threw her a look of surprise, but did as she asked without comment.

Before he could get accustomed to his new position, she clamped her hands on his shoulders and gave him a massage that made him forget every ache in his weary muscles.

She pampered him with this treatment until he was completely relaxed, before grabbing him tightly around his middle from behind without warning.

He gasped, and as she leant her face towards his, he casually remarked, 'When you retire, 'Mari _(#1)_, you can be a professional masseuse.'

She tilted her head at him, raising her eyebrows in astonishment at his new pet name for her.

_Only one other person had ever addressed her by that name._ _(#2)_

'Don't like the name?' he questioned after careful observations.

'Call me whatever you like as long as you don't add a '_chan_' behind it, Nara.' she confidently stated, daring him to do just that.

It was a new experience laughing while being squeezed around the middle. He widened his eyes, and pretended he was noticing her for the first time.

'I wouldn't. Too troublesome…' he concluded truthfully after some thoughtful moments.

He couldn't bring himself to say it, even if just to spite her… He ought to be glad that he wasn't dating a girl who'd start a cold war if he refused to add a 'chan' behind her name. That'd probably be even more troublesome than dealing with his mother when she was in a foul mood.

'Mari' would definitely be used sparingly, or better still, if possible, not ever again. The fact that a pet name, something that women cooed over, had escaped his lips without conscious effort on his part rather disgruntled him. He'd probably been in their company too often; their ways were starting to literally get to him. 'Oi' and 'Woman' were much easier on the tongue than even her own name; he supposed there'd be no harm carrying on that custom.

.

'Maru…', broke her voice into his thoughts.

''Maru'?' he asked, finding it curious that she'd chosen to call him by a common affix which, as far as he knew, was rarely or never used on its own.

'Easy. Your name's _long_, Nara. And I can't call you Shika. I'd be lying to myself; the real thing looks better.' she ended, grinning at him.

He smirked at her.

.

'Guess you're right. I should introduce you to Honou, or the other bucks one of these days. You'd probably hit it off well…'

This earned him an affectionate smack, which triggered off a physical battle between them.

.

Temari eventually surrendered by sealing her lips to his, and they settled comfortably, side by side, watching the swaying of the towering trees, enjoying the moment together.

He wrapped an arm around her waist, and she clasped his other hand in hers. With his shoulder as headrest and the weight of his head against hers, she immersed herself in his warmth.

The forest left them alone without further disruptions.

-End of Chapter 10-

* * *

**A/N:**  
_(#1) _'mari' can apparently mean 'truth and reason', 'beloved' or 'ball' in Japanese, depending on the kanji forms of the word and the context it is used in. Interesting, huh?

_(#2)_ 'Wind Shadows' explores this a little more. Unfortunately, Chapter 2 of 'Wind Shadows' is still awaiting approval, so it can't be posted yet.

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

.

When writing Chapters 8, 9 and 10, the scene I'd imagined jumped vividly out at me, so much so that I enjoyed writing them tremendously, despite the tricky start at the beginning of Chapter 8. I've rather deprived these two of each other's company, haven't I? Now that they've finally reconciled, I had to give them some alone ;D

I realised this could serve as an alternative ending, but I wrote on, because this wasn't how I originally intended this fanfiction to end. Two more chapters to go!

If I hadn't been willing to write on, would this ending have satisfied you? I'm really curious about this; please give me feedback about this in a review on top of your usual valuable comments. Thanks so much!

Many thanks to _Kag3Nui, Sand-Jounin-Temari, .Temari. .Killer. .Kunoichi., roxas-kh, InosBane, etimaru, myhiddenlove08, ShadowHeart251, Tsutsu-sama, PGNarutoFan, hikari107, Midnight Memories, AngelRain61, NGT_-chan and _Helisse _for reviewing Chapter 9!

Special thanks to dear Jue _(Midnight Memories)_, for her extremely prompt review of Chapter 8 (and 9) the moment she had the time! You really are incredibly sweet, Jue; thanks so much!

Chapter 11 will probably be posted in two weeks; from now on this trend is likely to continue. Thank you, patient reviewers for always waiting and returning with reviews with every new posted chapter!


	11. Irreplaceable

**A/N:**  
This chapter's for my family, whom (with the exception of Aunty H) probably won't be reading this. Every one of them is truly irreplaceable, and significant to me like this chapter is. While friends mean a great deal to me too (you know you do, precious darlings), I thought it was only fair that I dedicated something to my dear family, who've never interfered with my decision to write fanfiction, and who've been supportive in their own special ways.

* * *

**Chapter 11: Irreplaceable**

After some hours of experiencing the forest, their backs grew stiff and they strolled leisurely through the Nara forest.

Shikamaru led her to a rushing brook, and casually leant against a nearby boulder. She settled herself against a tree a safer distance away from the source of distraction, not at all used to seeing (or more accurately, hearing) so much water at one go.

'After I let Kumo have her apple early tomorrow morning, I'll resume my duties.' he promised.

'And since the official discussion for the Konoha-Suna Collaboration Scheme _(#)_ doesn't start until a week from now…'

'… I'll have you to myself when you're not settling last-minute paperwork the Hokage assigns you.' she finished for him.

He nodded, before pushing himself off the boulder and crouching to dip his hands in the flowing water. His long dark hair fell into his eyes, but he didn't bother pushing it back. Curious, she walked over to peek over his shoulder. With one wet hand, he yanked her beside him, letting her rest against a sturdy rock.

From her new observation point, she watched him cup some spring water into his hands. He lifted it to her mouth, and, taking the cue, she touched her lips to the water.

The sweet, lingering taste of the spring water made her take more sips. She felt her fatigue leave her, as the coolness roused her from her lethargy. She'd no doubt that this water was used to brew the _ocha_ she'd had earlier. What an amazing energy booster!

A smile touched his lips as he noted her fascination, and cupped more water for her until she had her fill, before repeating the action for himself.

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

.

If Temari had been alone, she'd probably have gotten lost in the deceptive shadows that night had cast on the forest, and be forced to wait for the sun to give her hints that might help her stumble her way out. With Shikamaru leading her by the hand, however, even with the deliberate detours he'd led them through to prolong the walk, the distant lights of the Nara residence soon came into view.

They both paused.

'Nara, why'd you go to the trouble of putting the letter on my bed? Why not just leave it with Ino-san or the Hokage?'

'Tch. Need you ask? Those two can't be trusted to not pass an unofficial letter on without letting their curiosity get the better of them…' he drawled in annoyance.

'… especially since they know I don't write letters.' he muttered almost inaudibly, as his fingers subconsciously wandered to where his ponytail usually was.

'Someday, we'll have to invent a code that they won't be able to decipher for private communication.' he grudgingly noted, shifting his feet and directing his attention to them. This made his hair fall out of place again.

Remembering that she still had his hair tie, she proceeded to replicate his hairstyle by half-heartedly pulling his hair up into its usual ponytail. This resulted in a sudden urge to run her fingers through his dark hair.

'Oi, woman! Do you take so long to tie your own hair?' he teased.

She continued her hairstyling at her own pace, tugging and yanking his hair playfully. It was much less prickly than hers, and certainly much better maintained. Smooth, springy and tangle-free… More tame than her hair, at any rate. Though she appreciated its texture, she wasn't envious; she'd even told Kankurou before that her hair was an indication that she couldn't be messed with. He'd sniggered loudly, but she'd let him, because he was her little brother, and always would be.

Just like how Nara was and would always be...

Irreplaceable.

.

-End of Chapter 11-

* * *

**A/N:  
**_(#) _I invented the _'Konoha-Suna Collaboration Scheme'_; this concept is elaborated on in a one shot, which I'll post after Chapter 12 (the final chapter) of 'Beyond the Shadows'.

This chapter gave me an entirely different sensation during the writing process and even when reading it. I hope this had enough depth to make up for its shortness. What do you think of it?

Seems like an epilogue, doesn't it? It wasn't planned as one, so I was surprised it turned out this way, but I didn't edit it because I must admit that I rather like it as it is… The title, 'Irreplaceable', came with the flow of inspiration that resulted in the inclusion of the events occurring in this chapter.

One final chapter to the completion of 'Beyond the Shadows'; again, it'll be posted in about two weeks from now. Thanks for waiting!

Many thanks to _myhiddenlove08, Sand-Jounin-Temari, .Temari. .Killer. .Kunoichi., Tsutsu-sama, Kag3nui, ShadowHeart251, Midnight Memories, PGNarutoFan, NGT_-chan_, hydroknight01, AngelRain61 _and_ roxas-kh _for letting me know what they thought of Chapter 10 of 'Beyond the Shadows', and to _Amano _for reviewing my one shot 'Shadows of the Night'.

Christmas is just round the corner, so i'd like to wish all my readers a blessed Christmas and a beautiful New Year! Enjoy yourselves!


	12. Beyond the Shadows

A/N: Hope you enjoyed a meaningful Christmas with your loved ones. Wishing all of you a fruitful 2009!

* * *

**Chapter 12: Beyond the Shadows**

'I'm glad you came today, Temari.' he revealed, at the door of her inn.

'So am I, Shikamaru.'

She leant over and whispered, 'Stay and chat?'

He accepted, and made it a point to conduct a through check of the place for possible threats or intruders that could be lurking.

'I can take care of myself, Nara!' she burst out, though she let his shadows continue searching the crannies of the inn.

He actually looked zealous, she thought. Wearing his hair down must make him look more alluring.

_She'd probably missed him much more than she'd be willing to admit._

Convinced that the coast was clear, Shikamaru spread himself out on the tatami flooring beside the little table, where the vase of flowers he'd placed earlier stood tall. She pulled open a second set of shoji doors to her bedroom and disappeared from sight.

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

.

Temari emerged with two pillows from her bedroom in a nightgown. (A decent, practical, comfortable, un-lacey, plain silk nightgown.) Their conversation would probably last until one of them dozed off.

She sat herself next to Shikamaru, wondering how he'd react to seeing her in her nightgown. He might blush, she thought, and she bent over him to see how he'd react.

At first she thought he was pretending to sleep, but as his chest rose lightly in regular intervals, with his loose hair spread around his head, she realised he had already fallen asleep. Watching him slumber with that serene look on his face made her concede a smile. If Gaara got to see this, perhaps he'd be less apprehensive about sleep; he still found it difficult to get used to sleeping normally since Shukaku's removal.

The man. The shinobi. The thinker. The deer herder. The Nara. The leader. The comrade. The ally. The protector. The complainer. The worker. The lover.

There were so many sides to Shikamaru, and though she'd already witnessed quite a diverse range of his personality, she was sure there was a lot more to him then he let on. She'd find out in time.

She was willing to see him for who he really was – somebody reliable, whom she'd known, for a while now, that she couldn't bear to lose. Not as everybody else perceived him, nor as he perceived himself, but from her perspective.

_She guessed she'd really fallen for him after all._

Shadows are, more often than not, neglected and unnoticed; just something that people take for granted. Yet who could deny that without shadows, there wouldn't be shade or shelter from enemy eyes? As unappreciated as they are, shadows served their purpose well, and Temari realised, shadows never really lived for themselves. Wind had the satisfaction of manipulating other elements of nature. Shadow served as a mimic for its master. Shadows served to protect and to remain unacknowledged. Yet they remained loyal, willing to be bended to suit the larger purpose of creating harmony in nature.

_What took her so long to see this?_

This was yet another side of Shikamaru she'd never considered. He never boasted, never talked about himself; yet he'd always be the willing listener. Shikamaru was many things, many wonderful things. As she smiled at his beautiful sleeping face, her shadow embraced his. Shikamaru was more of a gem than the one she thought she'd already found.

_Now she wanted to uncover every dimension to him… _

She'd be sure to put aside her pride to tell him this first thing in the morning when _they_ went to greet Kumo, and Kaze. Her first oath to him; it was fitting that it should be made in their presence.

'I _love_ you, Shikamaru.' she whispered in his ear to his sleeping form before tenderly planting her lips to his forehead. Now she knew for sure. And she never went back on her word.

From now on, she'd look beyond the shadows to see him for who he _truly_ was. They had a symphony to perfect.

O-O X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X. X O-O

.

The wind whistled a lullaby to the towering trees, which waved their branches to her will, as the silent shadows sang softly, blending, complimenting, in tune.

.

**-The End-**

**

* * *

**

**A/N:**

Now, how was that?

For this chapter, I've a special request. Please let me know:  
(1) your opinion on this chapter (Chapter 12),  
(2) what you thought of the story on a whole  
(3) which chapters of the story you liked best / disliked most, and what you liked / disliked about them. (e.g. ideas you found unique, etc),  
(4) what you think of my writing style,  
(5) suggestions for improvement (i.e. constructive criticism).

Naturally, if you'd prefer reviewing chapter by chapter, you'd be most welcome to; I'd like to thank you, and the rest of you who will be reviewing in advance now ;)

I am truly grateful to all my supportive reviewers who've spared me their precious time to read and review at least once (special thanks to those who read and reviewed _every single chapter_; you know who you are, wonderful dears!), and shared their opinions and suggestions with me. Thank you all so much, for the encouragement, and for reading till the end! (My dear darlings, I love y'all loads :D)

Many thanks to _Sand-Jounin-Temari, PGNarutoFan, .Temari. .Killer. .Kunoichi., hydroknight01, NGT_-chan_, hikari107, Tsutsu-sama, myhiddenlove08, Midnight Memories, roxas-kh _and_ Lynn Acissej _for reviewing Chapter 11, to _Erendhyl _and_ xmarachanx_ for reviewing 'Shadows of the Night', to _Lynn Acissej _and_ xmarachanx _for their reviews to 'Back to Back', and once again to _xmarachanx_ for reviewing Chapter 1 of 'Wind Shadows'!

I had every intention to post this chapter during the weekend, but I figured it'd be nice to wish all of you, my dear readers, well for the New Year, so up went this post! ;)

As of now, 'Beyond the Shadows' is officially complete; please feel free to remove it from your Story Alert lists; thanks to those of you who added it! I'd appreciate reviews of any length, so if there was a tiny portion of the story that you liked (especially if you've already favourited it), please spare me a review to let me know and make my day. Thanks a lot!

The one shot I mentioned in Chapter 11 with regards to the 'Konoha-Suna Collaboration Scheme' will be posted in about two weeks from now.


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